Posts Tagged '9×9'

Photowalking with Ted Forbes

Last Friday, as part of 9×9, the DMA hosted a Photowalk with staff member and photographer Ted Forbes.  Over a dozen visitors attended, myself included.  Ted began with a brief talk about photographing people and their environment, showing us portraits taken by world-renowned portrait photographer Arnold Newman (who photographed John F. Kennedy, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Marilyn Monroe, and many others).  Then, we were set loose in the second floor European galleries.  What were our directions? “Go out and shoot portraits!” Ted said.

The Photowalk experience was very hands-on experience.   Ted gave us the freedom to wander the European galleries and take pictures of Photowalk participants, strangers we encountered, and works of art around us.  As I walked around the second floor, I tried to keep in mind the concepts of negative space, people and their environment, and the commonly used “rule of thirds” when framing my shots.

Taking pictures of people in specific poses proved to be a bit challenging in the galleries, so I began to look for ways to incorporate people into my pictures while focusing on the artwork as my main subject.  I also played with reflections in windows and looking through panels of glass.  Concentrating on reflections of people against works of art as well as reflections of the artwork itself led to some intriguing images.

After we took pictures in the European galleries, we went back to the Tech Lab in C3 to look at each other’s pictures.  It was fun seeing other people’s pictures, because everyone took the instructions and captured images in completely different ways and styles, with unique perspectives.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the Photowalk, as well as some shots I captured of participants photographing one another!

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Leala Rosen
Teachings Program Summer Intern

Leala Rosen is a sophomore at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. She is studying sociology/anthropology and art history. As a summer intern for the Teachings Program department of the DMA, she worked with Go van Gogh outreach programs and led museum tours.

Friday Photos: Provocative Comparisons Part Three

Ecce Homo, c. 1615-1620, Giulio Cesare Procaccini (Italian, 1574-1625), Oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Algur H. Meadows and the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated

El Hombre, 1953, Rufino Tamayo (Mexican, 1899-1991), Vinyl with pigment on panel, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association commission, Neiman-Marcus Company Exposition Funds

This is the final post in our photo series focused on Provocative Comparisons.  My experiences looking at these two paintings with out-of-town visitors led to powerful conversations about scale, the male figure, religion and beliefs, color, composition, and aspirations.  We wondered about the impact of these works on those who experienced them originally, shortly after their initial creation, and compared our thoughts on this to our own reactions as 21st century viewers.  I invite you to take a long look at Rufino Tamayo’s El Hombre and Procaccini’s Ecce Homo.  What do you see?  What do you think about?  What relationships between the two, if any, resonate with you?

Nicole Stutzman
Director of Teaching Programs and Partnerships

C3 Artistic Encounters: Giant Constructions

There are things I expect to see coming into work on a Monday, like empty galleries, art being moved, staff shuttling to and from Starbucks for morning coffee.  One thing I definitely did not expect to see this past Monday was a 12-foot sculpture of a rocket ship made of chicken wire, burlap, tape, and felt lurking in the corner of our C3 Tech Lab space.  Talk about surprising!

The Rocket Ship is a communal artwork created by visitors during our 9×9 C3 Artistic Encounters program last Saturday. What I love about the Rocket Ship, which looks like something from a Michel Gondry movie or a cousin of a Claes Oldenberg soft sculpture, is that it is a realization of visitor interpretations of a work of art.

In the Center for Creative Connections, we have a metaphor response wall where visitors can leave their thoughts about Lee Bonteou’s Untitled (35).  One of the prompts visitors respond to is: “If this work of art was part of something larger, what would it be?”  Multiple responses to this prompt have been “Rocket Ship.”  So, as part of our new 9×9 Programing initiative, C3 staff teamed up with artist Rene Muhl to make this response real on a very large scale.  Kari Laehr, Center for Creative Specialist, worked with Susan Diachisin, Director of the Center for Creative Connections, and is excited to share her rocket ship-making experience with us.  Here’s Kari:

Last weekend in the Center for Creative Connections, we launched our new 9×9 Programing, specifically our third consecutive program called Giant Constructions. The program was based on Bontecou’s Untitled (35), currently found in our gallery and, I must admit, one of my favorites in the space!

   

Lee Bontecou, Untitled (35), 1961, welded metal and canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated, 1963.92.FA.

This work of art encourages participants to contemplate space through a mysterious dark opening that simultaneously toys with depth perception and confrontational elements. Participants were encouraged to create a large-scale sculpture that would act as an extension of the Bontecou piece.  We had a wonderful time with Rene discussing Bontecou’s work and trying to answer questions about the artist’s intent, types of materials used, and other interactive prompts.   As Amy mentioned above, the main prompt was “If the piece were a part of something larger, what would it be?”  Many responses to our interactive prompt came back with the same answer – ROCKET SHIP!  With the help of artist Rene Muhl, imagination became reality as our rocket ship took shape.

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The program lasted four hours and was a casual come-and-go process. As you can see, everyone had a great time adding to our Rocket Ship.  There are many ways to interact with art, and we look forward to continuing to promote new and exciting programs through the rest of 9×9 in July!

Kari Laehr
Center for Creative Connections, Specialist

Amy Copeland
Coordinator for Go van Gogh Outreach

Expect the Unexpected!

Well, we’re getting close now: 9×9 is nearly upon us. Everyone at the Museum has been hard at work to make sure that our visitors have plenty of wonderful experiences at the DMA this July. To help you prepare for the nine nights when we will stay open until 9:00 p.m., I thought I would share some insight into the preparation.

9×9—What is that?
9×9 is simply this: nine days in July when the Museum will be open until 9 p.m. (or later!), beginning this Thursday, July 14. On these Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, we will bring you all kinds of new activities, tours, and performances to experience with your friends and family members. Expect the unexpected!

Planning this month’s programs at the DMA has been a huge collaborative effort between everyone at the Museum. One of my favorite alliances is between Seventeen Seventeen and the Education Department. The Education team designed several “Provocative Comparisons” tours to show us some interesting connections between works of art in our collection. Chef Coulter followed suit and created three new menus for the 9×9 evenings that were “provocatively” inspired by the collection as well. The mouth-watering offerings are inspired by American and European art and the arts of Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. Visit the Dine page on the website for more information.

Chef James Coulter showcases three of the 9x9 small plates.

Antelope Sliders inspired by the Arts of the Americas collection.

Something I’ve been working on is the new DMAzing Race. If you love scavenger hunts and problem solving, this is something you don’t want to miss! The race will take place on Friday, July 22 and July 29. Teams of two will compete in a race through the Museum’s collection, completing challenges along the way. Racers will be given a packet with clue cards and materials to complete the tasks. Along the way, they will document their race experience through photography (so after it’s all over check Facebook).

This sounds like fun! What should I expect?
Each team will be given a race packet filled with clues and materials to complete the challenges. Each clue card includes a clue in the form of pictures and riddles to guide you to a work of art in the Museum and then a challenge, which could be as simple as taking a picture of what you found to something more elaborate, like re-creating the work of art using people in the galleries. Some challenges will ask you to create something using the materials in your bag. Along the way, you and your partner will document your discoveries through photography.

My DMAzing Race Clue Book.

How do I sign up? Do I need to bring anything?
The night of the race, come by our check-in table in the Concourse anytime between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. to sign up your team. Space is limited, so come by sooner rather than later. If you have one, you’ll want to bring your smartphone or camera so you can document the race. The race will begin at 6:30 p.m. You may take as long as you like to finish the race, but our top finishers will receive a prize. Someone’s got to win, and it might as well be you!

Two racers fighting for the win! If you join the race you too will recieve your own set of headbands and wrist bands in DMA colors.

I look forward to seeing you at the DMAzing Race and at many other programs during 9×9!

Hayley Dyer is the Audience Relations Coordinator at the Dallas Museum of Art.

9×9

Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, July 14–30, the Museum will stay open until 9 p.m.  We are excited to use these extra evening hours to experiment with new programs for families and adults.  Below are just a few of the many programs you can experience during 9×9.  View the full 9×9 program schedule on our website.

Art Personality Quiz
Which famous artist are you most like? Take our Art Personality Quiz to find out. Then, wear that artist’s button and find other visitors in the galleries who share the same traits.

Artistic Encounters: Sky High
What does the Eiffel Tower look like from high above? Drop in and help us create a bird’s-eye view of Paris and then make your own picture of it.

StoryART Walk
Take a stroll through the galleries with our resident storyteller, Ann Marie Newman, as she makes works of art in the collection come to life through a storytelling performance.

Artful Tastings
Join Chef James Coulter in Seventeen Seventeen as he takes you on a culinary journey inspired by art from around the world. But don’t travel alone—join a friend and indulge in a tasting supper designed for two to share. Nine tastes gathered from Asia, North Africa, Europe, and the Americas will tease your “palette,” while a perfectly married cocktail will enhance your perfect summer evening at the DMA.

Artistic Encounters: Not-Your-Average Musical Chairs
Put your ears and eyes to the test and play this special edition, C3-style musical chairs with a special guest DJ.

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We hope you’ll join us!

Amy Copeland
Coordinator of Go van Gogh Outreach


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